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City move top after Villa win
Alex McLeish’s side were the first to create a dangerous chance on the Etihad as Agbonlahor dispossessed Lescott only to finish it straight at keeper Joe Hart in the 11th minute. City’s keeper made the save but as far as Warnock who failed to put the rebound home though he should have done so, given the circumstances. Kompany blocked his finish to give the visitors a first corner.
On the other side, City’s big danger came in the 15th minute when Milner hit the post following a great action directed by Yaya Toure. The former FC Barcelona star picked Balotelli whose finish missed the target. But Italian’s shot was contacted by Milner who tried to open the score with the backheel.
Gareth Barry then tried his luck with a shot from distance to which keeper Given was equal. Lescott missed his first chance in the 21st minute when the defender headed Johnson’s cross just wide. But for City the opener was becoming just a matter of time. The Blues dominated almost the entire first half of the first part.
Balotelli got his first big opportunity in the 26th minute when the Italian looked for the far post with a shot form the edge of the box which the keeper tipped away for a corner. City had to wait just three more minutes for the first goal. Balotelli broke through with a tremendous overhead kick following a corner from the right which the Italian converted home, scoring his fourth goal of the season.
The half time went 1-0 but there were still plenty of goals to come. Just two minutes into the second part, City doubled the lead through Johnson who came up with the second one following a poor defending from Warnock who gifted the midfielder the ball only to put it home with ease.
Balotelli edged his double in the 52nd minute when the Italian was invited to advance into the visitors’ half to finish it straight at Given who made a big save. Things worsened for the away side just one minute later as City made it three through Kompany who beat the keeper with a powerful header from the edge of the six yard area.
Manager Alex McLeish made the first change in the 55th minute introducing Charles N’Zogbia for Ireland in attack. Barry conceded his first yellow card three minutes later for a foul on Agbonlahor. Villa introduced Barry Bannan for Heskey in the 64th minute and the visitors only had to wait one more minute for their first goal.
Delph’s cross from the right was converted home by Warnock who beat Hart from inside the box. Roberto Mancini’s answer included a couple of moves as the Italian replaced Richards and Yaya Toure with Kolo Toure and playmaker David Silva respectively.
City closed the game in the 71st minute through Milner who struck a well placed shot into the top right hand corner. Silva was vdery close to scoring a fifth one for the Blues in the 75th minute when City developed a lovely build up in the middle the finish of which saw the Spaniard hit it just wide from good position.
Delph departed and Marc Albrighton was introduced by McLeish one minute later, but Villa were still far from threatening with a comeback. City also made a third move one minute later as Mancini sent Owen Hargreaves in for Johnson. Bannan then conceded a yellow card for kicking the ball away following a foul on De Jong.
Manchester won and have gone top of the table with 22 points, two above their main followers and local rivals United whom they will face next weekend. Aston Villa are eighth with 11 points, the same as newly promoted Norwich City.
Said the Italian coach after the game: “We’ve only played eight games, there are another 30, it’s a very long way. We should be happy to go to Old Trafford on top but we should understand that the position can change every week. It’s important to stay there or very close now. We will fight until the end. We have started very well and won a lot of games, but we need to do more.”
Manchester City – Hart; Richards, Lescott, de Jong, Kompany, Clichy; Barry, Toure, Johnson, Milner, Balotelli. Reserves: E. Dzeko, O. Hargreaves, S. Nasri, A. Kolarov, K. Toure, D. Silva, C. Pantilimon.
Aston Villa – Given; Hutton, Dunne, Clark, Warnock; Delph, Petrov, Heskey, Ireland, Agbonlahor; Bent. Reserves: C. Herd, C. N’Zogbia, M. Albrighton, C. Cuellar, A. Weimann, B. Bannan, B. Guzan.
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